A need has been recognized in the vacuum cleaner industry for upright model vacuum cleaners that are easy and efficient to use while providing superior cleaning abilities. The prior art upright vacuum cleaners often have the handle and the dirty air conduit attached to the base of the vacuum somewhere between the front and rear wheels. However, these designs have many drawbacks. In vacuum cleaners where the handle and the dirty air conduit are attached to the base of the vacuum somewhere between the front and rear wheels, a handle being pushed or pulled by a user transmits a force through the base to the floor. Because the force applied is transmitted through the vacuum cleaner base, the friction between the vacuum cleaner base and the cleaning surface is increased, as the user is actually pushing the vacuum cleaner into the floor. For instance, in high pile carpeting even a “light weight” vacuum cleaner becomes difficult to maneuver and use, as the vacuum cleaner base is becoming hindered by the very cleaning surface it is attempting to clean.
The prior art does not exemplify upright vacuum cleaners where the force transmitted by the user is direct about the vacuum base, rather than through the vacuum cleaner base. By transferring the force behind the vacuum cleaner head, the frictional force between the vacuum cleaner and the cleaning surface is significantly reduced, thereby making the cleaning experience easier, less strenuous, and quicker for the user. Another advantage is that heavier vacuum cleaners, which may provide larger motors, and debris capturing capabilities can be used with the same comfort as “lightweight” prior art models-thereby providing superior cleaning results with minimum effort.